Tag Archives: apostolic exhortation

Posted onJanuary 25, 2014|Comments Off on Pope Francis didn’t call capitalism “unfettered” or “a new tyranny:” it was created by a journalist

It wasn’t Pope Francis who called capitalism “unfettered” or “a new tyranny.” It was Reuters journalist Naomi O’Leary. Miss O’Leary induced this creation into the opening line of her November 26, 2013 story about Evangelii Gaudium.

Pope Francis did not write the word ‘capitalism’ nor did he call capitalism “a new tyranny” in his November 24, 2013 apostolic exhortation titled, Evangelii Gaudium. He actually calls ideologies and the oppression of persons they cause “a new tyranny.”

A PDF word search of Evangelii Gaudium reveals that the word capitalism isn’t even in the document. American media reports have said, “Pope Francis attacked unfettered capitalism as a new tyranny.” The Pope references tyranny but, what he calls “a new tyranny”are the resulting oppressions of what he calls“ideologies,” not capitalism. Therefore, the often repeated media line mentioned above does not exist in fact or by inference in Evangelii Gaudium as reported. Actually, the line was the creation of Reuters journalist, Naomi O’Leary on November 26, 2013.

Below is the excerpt from Evangelii Gaudium where the Pope uses the term “a new tyranny.” The words in red help to explain what the Pope means by tyranny (the use of quotations, parenthesis and bolding of words below is ours.):

56. While the earnings of a minority are growing exponentially, so too is the “gap”separating the majority from the prosperity enjoyed by those happy few. This “imbalance” is the result of “ideologies” which defend the absolute autonomy of the marketplace and financial speculation. Consequently, “they” (the ideologies) reject the right of states, charged with vigilance for the common good, to exercise any form of control. “A new tyranny” is thus born, invisible and often virtual, which unilaterally and relentlessly imposes its own laws and rules. Debt and the accumulation of interest also make it difficult for countries to realize the potential of their own economies and keep citizens from enjoying their real purchasing power. To all this we can add widespread corruption and self-serving tax evasion, which have taken on worldwide dimensions. The thirst for power and possessions knows no limits. In this system, which tends to devour everything which stands in the way of increased profits, whatever is fragile, like the environment, is defenseless before the interests of a deified market, which become the only rule.

Note: Above, “(the ideologies)” was inserted by the writer of this article to define what is meant by “they.”

After reading the above excerpt with assisting quotations, parenthesis and bolding, it demonstrates that the “gap” separating persons from prosperity is the “imbalance” caused by the “ideologies” that “they” (the ideologies) create; “a new tyranny” (an ideology that even rejects the fair and just regulation of the marketplace so it can continue to oppress persons with its unjust laws and rules.) So again, what is really meant by “a new tyranny” is ideologies and the oppression of persons they cause… Read the rest of this article from Catholics for America and share it by Clicking HERE.